


Bowstrings & Stardust

by RedQueenSang



Category: Arrow (TV 2012), DCU (Comics), Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, League of Assassins Oliver Queen, League of Assassins Supergirl
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-04-28
Updated: 2019-10-09
Packaged: 2020-02-08 14:27:07
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 13,694
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18625111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RedQueenSang/pseuds/RedQueenSang
Summary: A different prophecy made to Ra's al-Ghul, on an Earth where Oliver doesn't ask Sara to join him on the Gambit, and Kara Zor-El's pod lands in Nanda Parbat.A SuperArrow story where Oliver returns home and begins his career as the Arrow, after spending the majority of his time in exile in Nanda Parbat, with a Supergirl in black at his back. How will things be different in Starling City? How long until Superman comes to call, and armed with a book of names, what is the difference between a hero and a villain?





	1. The First Cut is the Deepest

There were very few people who would dare summon Ra’s al-Ghul to them, fewer who could live through the attempt, and fewer still he would deign to see. The twin seers who lived in the far reaches of Nanda Parbat were on that very short list, and so, he went. 

Adhara and Aludra had served the League well in their time, and had lived to quite an advanced age to show for it. Their voices when he entered the dim apartments were as papery as their skin. “All honor to Ra’s al-Ghul.” They said in unison.

“Sisters.” He said respectfully, or as respectfully as he could. “You wished to speak?”

“We must speak before we die.” Adhara said.

“A last prophecy from our tongues, honored Head.” Aludra agreed. 

Ra’s nodded. “I will hear your words.”

“One day, a daughter shall come from the stars, a diamond in the night, with strength beyond this world.” Adhara began.

“When she is grown, there will come an outsider, the last arrow from the quiver of hell, with a list of names of the honorless. The strongest weapons they could be...” Aludra continued.

“League and yet not league they must be, a return to the League of Shadows, trained without oaths in our ways…” Adhara said firmly.

“For if you do not, the pits will die, the League will crumble, and the enemies thought dead will take our halls. There will be no more Demon’s Head.” Aludra finished. 

Ra’s stared at them. The League of Shadows had not existed in so long as to no longer be taught in Nanda Parbat. “You are sure this is necessary?” The League of Shadows swore no oaths and were not tied to the will of Ra’s. As such, he was loath to begin it again.

“Truth we have spoken, as we have seen.” The twins spoke together. 

“I shall think on your words, honored seers.” Ra’s said, with a slight nod.

And Ra’s did think on them, for a time. He made plans and safeguards as he did for all such foreknowledge, but after a few decades, put it from his mind...until the night the pod crashed in Nanda Parbat, gleaming like a jewel in the moonlight.

All knew the tales of the Superman, and Ra’s knew instantly why such power had to be kept outside of the proper ranks of the League, and yet, at least tacitly, tied to them. So, he smiled the charming smile, and brought the girl into the city. Wary as he was, he did not bring her into his home, but instead entrusted her to the care of Hamasa al-Tajraw, who he knew he could control, but would make the child srong. She herself was more outsider than most of the league, and a little more than human. Now, his plans must begin to move.

* * *

Since the sinking of the Queen’s Gambit, there were many times when Oliver was glad that he had made the decision not to bring Sara Lance with him on his trip. Usually that was for selfish reasons. Sara would never tell Laurel about their affair, so Laurel would remember him fondly. Other times it was because he would not wish the hunger, the weather, or the pain on Sara.  Sometimes it was guilt, believing that he had deserved it. He may have been an asshole, but he had cared about both of the sisters. His last thought though, being swept out to sea from the Amazo, was that at least she wouldn’t know how cold water stung your lungs. 

That was, until he woke up, coughing and sputtering up the same water, and looking into the blue eyes of an entirely different blonde.

Layla Al-Mas, who had once been Kara Zor-El, had gone to Lian Yu, grumbling under her breath. She was sure it was just another pseudo-mission to distract her from the fact that  _ yet more _ members were making their oaths, and no-one had ever asked her. She wasn’t entirely sure she  _ wanted _ to take the oaths, but she had lived and trained with the League since she had come to Earth. Certainly that accounted for something? Hamasa and Adib, who had adopted her as their own, had tried to reassure her that Ra’s al-Ghul had greater plans for her, but then they had sent her off to an island literally called purgatory, and if that wasn’t a sign, she didn’t know _what_ was.

That was, until she found  _ him _ . Lying on the beach, washed up, paler than was healthy. Her instincts to help were as strong as always, and once she was certain he was stable, she took a deep breath and flew him back to Nanda Parbat.

* * *

Being called before Ra’s al-Ghul was not exactly comforting, but Al-Sah-Him went. Everyone always went when Ra’s asked, and if he was honest, that pricked his pride just a bit, not that he was supposed to have any left.

“Al-Sah-Him.” Ra’s said, as the man settled before him. “You have been with us four years in Nanda Parbat, and you have grown strong.”

“Yes.” He said, as respectfully as he could.

Ra’s smiled, which was disconcerting in and of itself. “I know you hold a list of names, ones you desire to eliminate.”

Al-Sah-Him jaw didn’t drop only because of his training. How could he know? He had only ever told Layla in Nanda Parbat. Had she told him? “Yes.” He ground out.

“Layla did not betray you, Al-Sah-Him.” Ra’s replied easily. “There was a prophecy spoken, long before either of you came here that foretold a list of dishonored names.”

“A prophecy.” Al-Sah-Him repeated.

“Yes.” Ra’s said, simply. “One that states that you and Layla are to begin again the League of Shadows.”

“That’s why you never offered Layla a place in the League.” Al-Sah-Him realized. “Not because she’s an alien.”

Ra’s responded to that with only a mysterious smile. “One last trial for both of you, and the League will arrange your rescue from Lian Yu.”

He knew it was too good to be true. “What trial?”

“The League of Shadows is not bound to me in the same way as the rest of the League.” Ra’s explained. “You are stubborn and strong, Al-Sah-Him. I need a way to ensure your loyalty to the League and to me. Thus, you and Layla shall marry.”

“What?!” Al-Sah-Him demanded, than immediately winced, expecting a correcting blow.

Ra’s only chuckled. “Layla’s family and friends tie her loyalty here. She would never do anything to harm her parents. You would never harm your wife. Tying you two together in matrimony is the only way for you to leave, Al-Sah-Him.”

* * *

“No.” Layla said flatly, turning away from him. 

“Layla...I need this.” Al-Sah-Him said, softly. “My father died so I would live, and he asked me to right his wrongs. I  _ need _ to do this.”

“ _ No! _ ” Layla repeated, closing her eyes against the way her eyes burned red.

“Why?” Al-Sah-Him demanded. “You could go find your cousin. You could be a part of the League without oaths.”

Layla swallowed hard, not answering.

Al-Sah-Him put a hand on her shoulder, turning her around to look at him. “ _ Why _ , Layla?”

Layla blinked back her heat vision with tears. “Because I don’t want you to  _ marry me _ just to leave Nanda Parbat. I don’t want to marry you, only to have you hand me a Horchis dagger when  _ Laurel _ finds out you’re alive! I want you to marry me because you  _ want _ to marry me.”

“Kara…” He said softly, not sure what to say. The two had been partners and friends since she had flown him from the island, and lovers for the last two years.  _ Marriage _ , however, a real one, was a daunting thought. “I’m not good at relationships.”

“You’ve done fine for the past two years.” Layla said flatly. 

“I’m a cheating asshole. I slept with Laurel’s  _ sister _ , Layla.” Al-Sah-Him replied. 

“You never cheated on _me_.” Layla replied, raising an eyebrow. “You never even touched  _ Yasm _ when she threw herself at you.”

“I…” He was stymied for a minute. He hadn’t, that was true. He just wasn’t sure how much of that fact was because Yasm was a little insane. 

“Kara, you said before that marriage on Krypton was a negotiation and alliances. This would be the same.” He tried. 

“ _Krypton is dead!”_ Layla shouted at him. “ _Kara_ should have died with it.” She turned and marched out of the room. 

Al-Sah-Him went to follow, only for a throwing knife to pin his shirt to the wall. “Alone time.” He murmured to himself. “Got it.”

* * *

Layla didn’t return to her apartments that night. He knew because he waited there until sunup. In fact, for the first time in four years, the Kryptonian was avoiding him. He caught sight of her sometimes, for a mere moment, but then she would disappear again. It was then he realized just how often they talked, and how few friends he had. 

A week into the disagreement, Ra’s Al-Ghul had summoned him again. 

“A week has gone by, Al-Sah-Him, and I have not heard anything of your plans to return to Starling City.” Ra’s said, watching him in interest, from his banquet table. “Are plans thwarting you?”

Al-Sah-Him struggled with a reply to that. “I’m afraid Layla Al-Mas did not desire to marry me, my lord.” He managed, as calmly as possible. “As you made clear your requirements for my return, I did not see the point in disturbing you.”

“I find that hard to believe.” Ra’s said, raising an eyebrow. “I had expected one of you to ask over a year ago. You never made any attempts to conceal your relationship.”

Al-Sah-Him felt something sour in his belly. He took a breath, ensuring his face stayed stoic. “It is the truth, my lord.”

Ra’s watched him for a moment, before nodded. “You are dismissed, Al-Sah-Him.”

It was only a day later that Oliver opened his door to find Layla there. “Hi.” He said, dumbly, not sure what else to say. 

“Hello.” Layla replied, voice flat. “Ra’s Al-Ghul has scheduled the wedding for two days time. Khadija will want to see you tomorrow to ensure you are prepared.” She turned to leave, shoulders back, and posture straight. 

“Layla, wait…” Oliver reached out and grasped her wrist, expecting to feel the normal resistance when he tried to stop her, except she seemed to fall bonelessly toward him, as if she had no strength left. He startled, steadying her, so she could find her feet. “What’s the matter?”

“Nothing is the matter.” Layla answered, using her free hand to bolster herself on the doorframe. 

“Bullshit!” Al-Sah-Him argued. “You’re shaking and barely holding yourself up. Let me help you.”

“Don’t concern yourself, Al-Sah-Him.” Layla said, formally. “I’ll be recovered for  _ your _ wedding.”

Not about to take no for an answer, Al-Sah-Him pulled her into the room further, a dull flash of panic settling in his gut, when she fought him only weakly for a moment, and he had, yet again, nearly pulled her off her feet. “What’s…” It was only then he saw the strange way her veins pulsed against her skin. “What happened to you?” Her usually warm skin was clammy, and she was actually  _ sweating _ . “Layla?”

“A reminder not to oppose the will of Ra’s Al-Ghul.” Layla replied, tiredly. “I’ll be fine once I get some sun.”

“It’s just turned night.” He said, dumbly. 

“Trust me, I know.” Layla replied, without the energy to even sigh. “It’ll take me that long to climb to the top of the temple.”

“I didn’t want it to happen like this.” Al-Sah-Him argued. “I didn’t ask for this.”

“I guess our wedding will happen in a way neither of us wanted.” Layla said flatly. “Now if you’ll let go, I need to get to the spire before dawn.”

Al-Sah-Him dropped his hand, as if she had burned him. “I never asked him to  _ hurt _ you!”

“You don’t have the monopoly in hurting me, Al-Sah-Him.” Layla said coolly. “But if it makes you feel better, this hurt will heal much sooner than the cut you dealt.”

Al-Sah-Him, feeling more like Oliver than he had in years, and feeling as much the asshole as he ever had, swallowed hard, but let her leave. The dull anger churning in his body wasn’t good. He couldn’t go challenge Ra’s Al-Ghul. What’s more, Ra’s would probably laugh in his face and suggest that Al-Sah-Him should be  _ grateful _ , that he was getting what he wanted. But he didn’t want it like  _ this _ . He didn’t want Layla  _ tortured _ into marrying him. 

But that was her point, wasn’t it? She wanted to marry him because she... _ cared _ . He didn’t deserve that, but she did.

* * *

Layla woke to the feel of the sun on her skin, chasing away the slick, oily, burning sensation of kryptonite. She gasped, trying to get as much air into her lungs as possible to help the process, only to realize that instead of collapsed on the floor, she was...being held up. Moving her aching muscles was difficult, but she sighed when she saw who it was. “Shouldn’t you be with Khadija, preparing?”

“I think I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be.” Al-Sah-Him said quietly. “Beside you, just like you’re always beside me.”

“Careful.” Layla said sarcastically. “Sounds almost like you’re in a relationship. You know you’re no good at those.”

Al-Sah-Him chuckled through his wince. “I deserved that.” He admitted. “This entire thing has unbalanced me, Layla. I thought I had buried Oliver, and then Ra’s brought this offer out, and it reminded me of everything I am…”

“Everything you  _ were.” _ Layla corrected, raising a weak hand to put it on his cheek. “You are not the spoiled brat you were when the Gambit went down. You’re not even the scared, angry man you were when I found you. “You are Al-Sah-Him. You are strong. You have been chosen to be the rebirth of the League of Shadows. You don’t have to be any more or less like  _ Oliver _ than you want to be when we go.”

“So we’re going?” Al-Sah-Him asked. 

“One round of kryptonite poisoning is enough of a reminder to not get in the way of Ra’s Al-Ghul’s plans.” Layla replied. 

Al-Sah-Him felt his teeth grinding. “You were right about it, Layla, about all of it. Marry me because you’re mine and I’m yours, instead of because of...all of this.”

Layla laughed, albeit bitterly, and it rattled strangely in her chest. “You wouldn’t ask me if it wasn’t because of all of this.”

“Only because it would have never crossed my mind.” Al-Sah-Him said quickly, and then corrected, wincing at how it sounded. “I’ve never let myself be  _ happy _ since the Gambit, Layla. I wouldn’t have thought of it, not because I don’t  _ care _ , but because I always thought I’d never get a  _ chance _ to be happy, to have….to have this.”

Layla frowned at him. "No Horchis daggers?"

Al-Sah-Him physically winced at that. "No Horchis daggers. As real a wedding as someone like me can have."

"You know I will hurt anyone you try and cheat on me with?" Layla reminded him. "I will not stand by and let you make a fool of me or our marriage, if we're going to do this. I'm an assassin, not a polished socialite."

"I've been faithful for two years, right?" Al-Sah-Him reminded her. "I will do my damnedest to be faithful." 

Layla looked up at him for a long moment, and then yawned, stretching like a cat in the sunlight. “I accept your proposal, Al-Sah-Him.” Then she smiled at him, and fell back to sleep.

Al-Sah-Him smiled, lowering his head down and placing a kiss on her forehead. 


	2. Homecoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver and Kara are "rescued" from Lian Yu, Moira struggles to accept Kara and the changes in Oliver, while Oliver tries to balance who he used to be with who he is now.

The return to Lian Yu was strange. The return to being  _ Oliver _ was stranger. Stranger still was the serum Ra’s provided Layla before they left. Like her adopted parents, it allowed her to change her appearance, although he had to admit he was glad that instead of becoming a snake-lady or a werewolf, it just meant that her hair was brown when she wanted to change it. The first thing Oliver did on the island was find shelter. You didn’t have to worry about fire when your wife had heat vision. 

_ Wife _ . That was still a very new thing. He didn’t know how to feel about it, so he allowed himself some consideration as he combed the island silently, looking for evidence of Slade or Shado. When he found none, he hoped that his friends were alive, well, and somewhere, together, happy. 

...Which brought him right back to the whole ‘how did he feel about having a wife,’ thing. He cared about Layla. If he didn’t know he didn’t deserve it, he might have even said he loved her, which...probably meant that he  _ did _ and he was just trying to protect himself. That was a fine addition to all the stress of leaving Nanda Parbat, being back on the island, leading a branch of the league, and, oh yeah, going  _ home _ . Nanda Parbat and training had been easy. He had beat his body and mind into submission, and now feelings and thoughts wanted to squeak out all over the place. It was probably a good thing, considering he would have to be some definition of ‘normal,’ when he got back.

Yeah, this was gonna go  _ great _ .

The League did not just have them picked up the next day. It was nearly a month later that the fishing boat came in view of Lian Yu. This turned out to be a good thing, because it allowed Oliver and Kara to accustom themselves to their old names, and figure out how to manage together outside of the League. It was surprisingly easy, but the wilderness of Lian Yu was freer than Starling City would or could be. They wouldn’t be able to run the length and breadth of the city, without worries of being seen. It also assured that they looked appropriately scruffy when they were rescued. The Chinese fishing boat was one thing, but once they hit the shore it was a nightmare of diplomacy. There were ambassadors and phone calls from officials and apparently your passport expired when you were ruled dead.

* * *

Eventually, they were on a plane back to Starling City as Oliver Queen and Kara Lee. The problem was, he was an infamous rich playboy. Oliver was actually a little afraid for the flight attendant’s eyes at one point. He knew part of it was Kara’s insecurity because they had married by the demand of Ra’s Al-Ghul, but the larger part was that this was, for all intents and purposes, her first real trip outside of Nanda Parbat. There had been missions, but they were short and usually didn’t require any kind of life outside of the monastery, or interactions with non-League people she didn’t have to kill. Nanda Parbat had been a safe place, where no-one dared judge her for her alienness, and where she had no need to hide it. It had also taught her control over her powers and over the trauma of Krypton’s loss.

_ “All will be well, light of my eyes.” _ He crooned into her ear in Arabic. 

Kara gave him a cautious smile, and squeezed his hand. “ _ Thank you, blood of my heart.” _ She whispered back. Her mood markedly improved after that.

Landing wasn’t easy, for all that no-one was supposed to know he was coming home, and being carted off to the hospital was worse. Kara was ready to bolt, and would have, had she not recognized Dr. Moon from the League. She didn’t like the separation from Oliver, but she knew the sleight of hand with test results and blood samples were necessary. 

When she was returned to the room with Oliver, he was staring out the window at the city. Kara could see the struggle and indecision in his eyes, and crept up to his side. “We will fix it.” She murmured, curling into him. “You are strong, and you are not alone...Beloved.” The last word was a whisper, in case he wished to pretend he didn’t hear it. It was a common in the League to call your significant other so, but she had always avoided it, afraid of Al-Sah-Him’s reaction. 

Oliver silently reached over and pulled her in front of him, her back tight to his chest, arms wrapped around her chest, and rested his head on top of hers. Kara relaxed into him, humming a Kryptonian melody under her breath. There they stayed, until the door opened.

* * *

“Oliver?”

Oliver turned, Kara still in his arms, and released her only after a few seconds, taking a step towards his mother, and trying to smile. Moira Queen looked so much the same, it was as if no time had passed at all. Perhaps she looked a little tired, but she was impeccable as always. “Mom.” He said softly.

She was moving then, and he took a few steps to, but it was harder and harder to avoid the urge to fall into the stoicism of Al-Sah-Him when she teared up. He thought he had been prepared for all the emotions flooding him, but he was quickly learning that was not the case, as he silently embraced her. 

When she pulled away, he attempted another smile. “Mom, I’d like you to meet Kara.”  _ Kara _ looked very different from  _ Layla _ , as Kara was a brunette with brown eyes, and two inches taller, thanks to the shape-shifting serum. “She found me after one of my attempts to leave the island. She’s pretty much the reason I’m still alive.” He held a hand out to Kara, who took it and came to stand beside him. “She’s also basically my wife.”

Kara’s head whipped around to look at him  in shock; surprise and joy written on her face. Oliver knew why. He had originally proposed only because it was a requirement to come home. Ra’s Al-Ghul had ordered it. While he had technically ‘proposed’ again on top of the spire, and they had married, it was only a binding marriage to the League. After the way he had initially approached their marriage, she had not expected him to call their relationship a marriage, or as he planned, to marry her again, legally, in this world. “What?” He teased, chuckling. “Did you think I didn’t mean what I said? You’re mine and I’m yours.”

“I..but...you…” Kara managed somehow.

“She’s usually much better at the talking thing.” Oliver confided to his mother.

“Yes, well, I think we’ve all had a number of shocks recently.” Moira said, smiling a strained smile and an extended hand to Kara. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Kara. Thank you for helping my son.”

Kara had to stop looking besottedly up at Oliver and refocus back on Moira at that, taking her hand and shaking it, politely. “It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Queen. It was the only thing I could do. Your son is...amazing.” Moira had been ready to hate the girl in her son’s room. She had already been plotting out how quickly she could cut the check necessary to get rid of her, Samantha Clayton all over again, but then...Oliver  _ smiled. _ He actually  _ chuckled _ , and beyond that, he  _ joked _ with her. That, combined with the look the girl gave her son made her put away the idea...for awhile anyway. She would tolerate the girl, for now, if she made him smile after what he’d  _ obviously  _ been through in the past five years.

“Well, we should see about getting you home.” Moira said to Oliver with a smile. “Miss…”

“Lee.” Kara said, filling in her alias.

“Miss Lee. I’m sure your family will be just as glad to see you as I am to see Oliver.”

Kara winced, and it was only partially for show. “My family was killed in the plane crash that stranded me.” She admitted.

“I...I’m sorry. Certainly friends, or…” Moira was obviously flustered.

“I can’t say I really remember any, I was only twelve, but you needn’t worry about me, Mrs. Queen. I’ll find somewhere.” Kara kept a bland smile on her face. She could tell Moira wanted to get Oliver alone, she just wasn’t entirely sure  _ why _ . Whether it was because she wanted alone time with her long-missing son, or something else.

“No.” Oliver said flatly. “You’re coming home with me.”

“Ollie…” Kara said, glancing at him. “It’s okay.”

Oliver’s expression and posture went from Oliver to Al-Sah-Him in a heartbeat. Kara knew the transition better than anyone, but the indrawn breath behind her meant that Moira had undoubtedly caught it as well. “You are my  _ wife. _ ” He all but growled, in a low tone that made Kara shiver. “I am  _ not  _ going to let you alone in a strange city  _ I  _ brought you home to, especially not after getting mobbed at the airport and getting poked and prodded in the hospital. We stay  _ together _ .” He cut himself off, almost mid-sentence with a click of teeth, because he had almost slipped up and called her Layla. His face softened, just slightly. “Stronger together, that was your family’s motto, right?”

Kara nodded, shocked he remembered that. She had only told him once, years ago, when they were both nearly delirious from training. “Okay.” She agreed. “Together.”

“Well then,” Moira said, voice brittle. “Let’s see about discharge papers and proper clothes for you both.”

* * *

The drive was awkward, Moira filling the silence, while Oliver struggled to find things to say. Kara had few observations to add, and commenting on the weather wasn’t going to help anyone, so she focused on staying calm, and trying to make sure Oliver was as well.

As they climbed out of the Bentley, the driver went around to get their baggage, which was light as it was, but Kara immediately took the woven bag from him, and Oliver stopped him the instant he touched the green chest. “We’ve got it.” He said, with something  _ approaching _ a friendly manner. 

“Let’s go inside.” Moira said, trying to once again take control of the situation. She fell back on old patterns as the doors opened. “Your room is exactly as you left it. I didn’t have the heart to change a thing. I can have another room made up for Miss Lee…”

“There’s plenty of room for both of us in mine, Mom.” Oliver said firmly, looking around at the place he had called home for so many years. 

“Of course.” Moira said, looking rather like she had swallowed a lemon. 

“Oliver.” A firm, somewhat familiar voice said, and Oliver stalled, staring. “It’s damn good to see you.”

Kara glanced at Oliver, who had gone stone-faced again, just for a moment, before he spoke. “Hello, Walter. What a surprise.” He had, of course, made intelligence inquiries on his family and many of his targets before leaving Nanda Parbat. He still wasn’t sure how he felt about his mother’s remarriage to his father’s friend. So, he shook his hand...a little more strongly than he should have. “Walter, this is my wife, Kara. Kara, this is Walter Steele. Walter was good friends with my father. They worked at Queen Consolidated together.”

“A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Steele.” Kara said, offering him her sunniest smile as Oliver moved further into the room to talk to the housekeeper. Giving Walter a slight nod, she followed.

“Mr. Merlyn phoned, he wants to join you for dinner.” The housekeeper, Raisa said, and Kara’s eyes widened, flicking to Oliver, who didn’t even react. Kara’s mind was whirring, and she couldn’t slow it down, even as Oliver reunited with his sister. Shaking herself, she watched the reunion, feeling a little heartsore. Kal-El wouldn’t remember her, wouldn’t know her as family. Her parents were gone, there could be no reunion with a crying Alura to call her a beautiful girl, or handshakes with Zor-El. At least Oliver had something of his family back, though.

She was almost startled when they broke apart, and Oliver, smiling, brought his sister over to her. “Speedy, I’d like you to meet Kara. Kara, this is my sister, Thea.”

“Nice to meet you, Kara.” Thea said, glancing back at her brother. “How’d you have a chance to meet someone already?”

“I found him, actually, on the island.” Kara explained, grinning.

Oliver groaned at that, but Thea was grinning. “I like her, it’s a bit of a surprise though, you usually go for blondes.”

Somehow, Kara kept from laughing under her shape-shifted brown locks.

* * *

Kara had to admit, she wasn’t complaining about the bed in Starling City, or the plush robe Raisa had put in their bathroom. Then of course, Oliver walked out in a towel, and she couldn’t complain about the view either. He was pensive, and she watched him carefully, trying to determine whether she should let him alone to his thoughts. She let him be pensive until she saw the shift in his face, and then she left the bed to creep up behind him, shaking her head like a wet dog and shifting back to her normal looks. She ducked under his arm, coming up in front of him, blocking his view from the mirror. “Hi,” she said softly.

Oliver smiled down at her, amused that while Layla was shorter than Kara, it was Layla who was far more deadly. “Hey you.” He said, just as softly, running his hands through her blonde hair. “Why the change?”

“I heard you prefer blondes.” Layla said with a smirk.

Oliver lowered his mouth to just above hers. “I like  _ you _ , no matter who you are. Layla and Kara are both  _ you.” _

Layla smiled, pressing a hand to his chest, feeling his heartbeat thrum through her fingers. “This? This  _ here _ is the same, whether you are Oliver Queen or Al-Sah-Him.”

“How do you know?” Oliver asked, doubt threading through his voice.

“I can hear it. I could pick your heartbeat up, even if you were in the middle of the city. It is wholly  _ you. _ ”

Oliver smiled, but was somewhat uncomfortable with the emotions in the conversation. “Is that how you avoided me, before?”

Layla grinned at him. “Partly. You also sulk loudly.”

“I do not  _ sulk _ .” Oliver said, offended. 

“Brood?” Layla offered instead, coyly from beneath her lashes. 

“Why you…” He growled, digging his fingers into her sides and tickling her. 

“No,  _ hey _ , not fair!” Layla argued, shifting back to Kara, as if the extra two inches might give her some advantage in the tickle war. While it didn’t help, her Kryptonian strength did, and she flipped him onto the floor, tickling him in turn. 

“Cheat!” Oliver said, tickling along her calves, and using her giggles against her to pin her again. 

“Mercy,” Kara said, choking on giggles a few minutes later. “Mercy!”

* * *

Moira was about to check on Oliver and make sure that he was all right, when she heard  _ laughter _ coming from his room. The sound made her smile. Oliver had been so serious since his return, at times the look on his face made her think that her little boy was gone. The child who had always looked up at her when she returned from her luncheons with smiles and treats he had “helped” the kitchen staff make, or the teenager who had just wanted Robert’s approval. She paused outside his room. She wanted to dislike the brunette he had brought home with him. She seemed to take up so much of his attention when it should be on his  _ family _ , but if she made him laugh like that, if she brought that little bit of life back to her son...maybe she could learn to like Kara Lee...after a background check or three.


	3. Your Biggest Mistake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara meets Tommy, Tommy and Oliver have a day in Starling City, a kidnapping three ways, and the first appearance of the League of Shadows in Starling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whoops. I didn't realize how long this one was, mea culpa.

Kara carefully turned and twisted in the dress that a personal shopper had just delivered. Apparently Oliver had seen fit to order some things for her so that she wouldn’t be stuck in the hospital scrubs. There was a certain amount of amazement in Kara that things like new clothes in her size could simply be delivered to her door because Oliver called a store. It was also slightly strange to her that Oliver could tell her measurements so perfectly. Still, the black dress was beautiful, and fit well. The flare to it meant that she could move easily in it. She twisted up her hair with her hands in a few ways, before letting it fall back around her shoulders. 

“You look lovely.” Oliver  said, smiling from where he was fixing his tie nearby. 

“Beloved…” Kara said slowly. “The Mr. Merlyn that is joining us for dinner...is that Malcolm Merlyn?”

Oliver was surprised by the question and shook his head. “No, his son Tommy. Tommy’s my best friend, we were almost like brothers. He practically lived here when Malcolm went travelling after his mother’s death.” He was perplexed by the question. He knew they had talked about Tommy at some point.

“When Malcolm joined the League.” Kara corrected, softly. 

Oliver stopped, turning to look at her. “What?”

Kara shook her head slightly, turning to face him. “Al-Sahir, had you heard mention of him?”

Oliver thought back to the names of people in the league, people he had heard spoken of, and it sounded a little familiar. “From Al-Owal, maybe?”

Kara licked her lips. “He was gone by the time I crashed. I had thought maybe it was another reason Ra’s Al-Ghul did not wish me to take the oaths to the league. Al-Sahir came, was trained, became one of Ra’s horsemen, and in little more than two years, pleaded with Ra’s to release him from his oaths. No-one knows quite why Ra’s did it.” She ran a hand through her hair again. “I believe they still keep in contact, but not about League business. I thought...I was an outsider too, that perhaps he was afraid I would ask for release.”

“Malcolm Merlyn is a member of the League?” Oliver repeated, shaking his head. “That’s...I don’t know what to do with that.”

“Former member.” Kara agreed, humming to herself. “If he was active, I’d think we should introduce ourselves, but he left his oaths, so I think we should leave what he finds out to his own mind and what Ra’s Al-Ghul may or may not tell him.”

Oliver considered this for a moment, before nodding. “I agree. We’ll simply have to keep an eye on him and factor him into our plans, should it become necessary.” He let out a breath, and let the tension out of her shoulders. “But for now, dinner with the family, and with a little less super-speed...hopefully I’ll actually get some.”

Kara laughed. Al-Sah-Him had been subjected to quite a few ‘dinners with the family,’ where her adoptive parents had their own enhanced speed and reflexes. “If you’re not willing to fight for the roghan josh, you’re not going to get any.” She sing-songed. 

“Trust me, I know.” Oliver chuckled. “Ready to go?”

Kara bit her lip, looking into the mirror again. “Go ahead, I need to figure out something with my hair. I’ll meet you downstairs in a few minutes.”

* * *

Oliver stared at the photo of he and his father at the wheel of the Gambit. He wasn’t sure how he felt toward his father. He had spent years pushing away the pain of Oliver Queen, and so, staring at the photo he felt...flat. Flat and burdened. 

He couldn’t help but wonder what life would have been like if he had never gotten on the Gambit that day. Would he and Laurel be married now, or would he have finished self-destructing and taken everyone with him on a drink-and-drug fueled downward spiral? He would have never even known about the League of Assassins, would have never met Yao Fei, or ever held a bow. Layla would still be somewhere in Nanda Parbat, always wondering why she was never allowed to take the oaths.

Oliver wondered if Ra’s Al-Ghul had known about the promises to his father. He had known about the book of names, but Oliver had no idea what else the prophecy had said. He hated the idea that his life was fated, that everything was predestined, that he had no more power to stop his fate than he had to stop Robert from putting the gun to his head and…

“What I tell you? Yachts suck.”

Oliver turned, and smiled despite himself, just glad to see his best friend. “Tommy Merlyn,” He said, giving the other man a hug.

“I missed you, buddy.” Tommy said into his shoulder.

Oliver hugged him a little bit harder. “I missed you too.” He answered, meaning it. He hadn’t been lying when he said that Tommy was his best friend, that he was like a brother to him. Oliver spotted Kara hovering  on the stairs, obviously not wanting to interrupt. “We’ve got to catch up, but first I want you to meet someone.”

Tommy groaned out a laugh. “Tell me you didn’t bag a girl on the flight home.”

“I’m afraid not.” Kara said from the stairs. “Though the flight attendant was trying her best.”

Oliver chuckled as Tommy whirled around. “Tommy, meet Kara. Kara, this is Tommy Merlyn, my best friend.”

Kara smiled at Tommy. “It’s good to meet you, Tommy.” she held out her hand, and then blushed, when instead of shaking it, Tommy kissed her hand.

“It’s nice to meet you, Kara, though I can’t imagine where he found the time to find someone like you.” Tommy said, with a charming smile.

Kara chuckled. “He charmed me somewhere in between learning to make a fire and arguing where the best place to fish was.” She was very good at leading people to believe what she wanted them to, while not explicitly lying. She leaned towards him with a grin “I was right.”

“You were not.” Oliver argued without heat, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, playing with the flechette she had used to hold up her hair, like a feathered hairstick. It was a good thing she was bulletproof.

Tommy looked at his friend, and smiled, oddly Oliver thought he saw relief there. ”Even on a deserted island.” He said, shaking his head.

* * *

That was the awkwardest dinner Kara had ever attended, which was saying something, given that dinner in Nanda Parbat could end with someone challenging someone else to the death. Afterward, she was more than glad to return to Oliver’s room. 

“I like the accessory.” Oliver teased, as Kara let down her hair.

Kara laughed in return, and then smirked at him. “Why don’t you pull my necklace out of my bag and we’ll trade.” She suggested, shimmying out of the dress as she spun the flechette in her fingers.

Oliver grinned at her, and went into her woven bag, pulling out a small metal box. He opened it and removed a strange necklace, with the same shape as the famous Superman S, but without the letter in the middle. Instead, the necklace glowed red.  He slid it around her neck and smiled, kissing the spot under her ear. “There.”

Kara shivered, and turned over the flechette. “Bedtime?”

“Definitely.”

It was only a handful of hours later that Kara woke to small noises in her ear, and shuddering beside her. Her eyes blinked open, instantly alert, and she turned, finding Oliver in what seemed to be the midst of a nightmare, or more likely, a flashback. She curled closer to him, even as he thrashed, and then proceeded to talk to him, holding him tight. She reminded him that he was safe, that he was strong, that whatever he was seeing was gone. She talked and talked, and when she ran out of words, she sang to him softly, first in Arabic, and then in Kryptonian. She had known this would be hard for him, and he had held her through similar nightmares, so while his were about salt and sea and not fire and the emptiness of space, she understood.

* * *

It felt strange, setting out in the city with Tommy. He knew Kara had plans to explore, but he wanted to spend some time with his friend, and to see the city with the new eyes his father had given him...and he wanted to see Laurel. 

He wasn’t  _ hiding _ that last bit from Kara, but at the same time, he couldn’t help but remember her fear that he would want to divorce her when Laurel found out he was alive, and so, while he needed to talk to her, he didn’t want to throw it in Kara’s face. 

He had no idea how that conversation would go, and he knew there wasn’t a perfect scenario, but somehow he was surprised just how badly it went. He tried to start easy, law school and her cases, but it all went downhill from there.

“Five years and you want to talk about Adam Hunt?” Laurel questioned.

“No, not really.” Oliver admitted. “I...needed to apologize.”

“For getting in a boating accident, for lying to me about wanting to move in together, or for cheating on me with my sister?” Laurel asked. 

Oliver blew out a breath, surprised she knew about Sara, but didn’t deny it. “All of it, I guess.” He admitted. “I was a spoiled asshole and I made a lot of mistakes. I hurt you. I know I did, and even if I never intended to hurt you, it doesn’t change the fact that I did.” He took a deep breath. “I care about you, Laurel. While we didn’t work out, it’s entirely on me, and I want you to find happiness.”

Laurel stared at him for a moment. “You know, I grieved over you.” She said calmly. “And then when I found out about Sara, I was glad you were dead. I don’t know if I can forgive you.”

“I don’t expect you to.” Oliver replied. 

“Maybe being stranded did you some good.” Laurel said, a little thoughtfully.

Oliver attempted a smile. “Maybe.”

* * *

Tommy Merlyn was relieved when Oliver and Laurel finished their conversation. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he had always doubted that Laurel would have anything to do with him if Oliver had lived. Now that Oliver had  _ actually _ lived, that worry had moved from the back of his mind to the forefront. Which was not to say that he wasn’t beyond thrilled that his best friend was alive, he was. He just...he  _ cared _ about Laurel. In his mind, Oliver and Laurel were meant to be, so even if Oliver had come home with another girl, he had worried that she would be dropped like every other, especially when Oliver said the thing he missed most was Laurel. Here they were, though, walking away. He felt a little better, there had been the kind of opening Oliver would have jumped at if he wanted Laurel back, and he had let it go. 

“Okay, so we took care of that, good call.” Tommy said, trying to keep that relief from his voice. “Now we can make up for lost time. If you’re not too sick of fish, I suggest we find some leggy models and eat sushi all day. What do you say?”

The truck came out of nowhere, and Tommy wasn’t even sure if it was him or Oliver who said, ‘What the hell?’ because if he didn’t say it, he was thinking it. Then there was a sting, and nothing.

When Tommy blinked awake, his vision bleary, he heard buzzing and a man...after a few more seconds, the words leaked into his possibly concussed head. They were interrogating Oliver. He opened his mouth to say something, but then a hand came down over his mouth. “Shhh…” A female voice said in his ear. “Shh, Al-Sabiq. I will end them.” The voice was accented strangely, and the concussion, confusion, or surprise kept him quiet.

* * *

Kara had gone shopping that morning, with some cash that her mother had squirreled away for her, meant to last until the lawyers managed to “reclaim” her identity. She had a good morning, until she had accidentally heard it. It wasn’t intentional, or out of distrust. Kara had simply gotten overwhelmed with the amount of people and the noise of the city. There was so much that she had panicked, and tried to dial in to one person to help her filter through all of the extraneous noise. The only person she knew well enough to ‘tune in’ on was Oliver. It just so happened to be on the moment when he said the thing he missed most on the island was Laurel. 

“Eavesdroppers never hear well of themselves.” Kara muttered sadly under her breath, immediately tuning back out. She returned her purchases to the Queen home, and then left again, more upset than she’d like to admit. That was why she began looking for an alien bar. There was always one in a city this large. Her father had taught her early how to find them, for all that he was a metahuman. 

A quick dodge into an alley with no security, and a quick change into blonde and leather, and Layla was on the hunt. It took her a little longer than it should have, her mind too busy dissecting permutations of what she had overheard, but soon a basement level-door in the Glades cracked open. 

“What do you want?” The  Alstairan behind the door barked, trying to hide the rattle of leaves. 

“Something strong enough to give me a buzz.” Layla answered. “Galadorian stout, if you got it, Tamaranean...something if you don’t.”

“That’ll kill a human.” The doorman said, cautious. 

“Good thing I’m not then, isn’t it?” Layla snarked back. “Look, my husband’s out there talking to his ex, and I’m trying not to listen. I just want a drink.” The door open, and she walked inside. The patrons inside gave her a few looks, but she ignored them in favour for sitting at the bar and getting on with the drinking. The bartender, a Toomian, who had obviously overheard the altercation at the door, put a Galadorian stout in front of her. 

“Thanks.” Layla replied, taking a deep drink from the glass. 

The Toomian male just shook his head, watching her. “What guy’s stupid enough to make a girl like you go out day drinking?” 

Layla laughed, shaking her head. “He didn’t do it on purpose. I knew he’d go see her eventually. They left too much stuff unresolved, but…” Layla took another swig, running her finger over the rim of the glass. “Hearing him say he missed her just took me off guard.” She took a third swig in quick succession. “You always put the clientele through that?”

The Toomian didn’t look the slightest bit sorry. “Only the ones who can pass, and only when they’re new. We sometimes get stupid humans who want to prove they’re better than their buddies that try and lie their way in, or humans pissed off they lost in the prize fights and wanting to pick a fight. Can’t be too careful. Sometimes aliens don’t come back.”

Layla was startled out of the conversation when in the background she heard a sharp, shrill, three note whistle. She finished her beer, and sighed, throwing a wad of cash on the table. “Hopefully next time without the third degree.”

When she arrived at the place where Oliver was, he was being tortured by three thugs. Or rather, they were trying. Oliver was using the opportunity to get information out of them without giving anything away. He was...well, not  _ fine _ , but okay. He wasn’t done playing with them yet, something he made obvious when he met her eyes under the black hood she had donned, along with a few more pieces of armor she doubted she’d even need.

Tommy was crumpled unconscious on some pallets behind everyone. That, at least, she could check on until she got to play too.

* * *

Oliver Queen had not expected the kidnapping attempt, heavy-handed and ham-fisted as it was. It was half-choice to go along with it, though he let out the signal whistle anyway when he came to. The zip-cuff was annoying but he could deal with it. The masks were...over the top. He wasn’t sure if they were something this group always wore, or if they had recently robbed a Halloween store.

“Mr. Queen... _ Mr Queen.” _ Well, apparently they were after Oliver and not Al-Sah-Him. 

The thug sparked the prod, and Oliver somehow resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He took the opportunity to brace himself. He had trained in the League of Assassins. A store-bought cattle prod was nothing, by comparison. He didn’t give them a reaction to the electrical charge, wanting to see how they would react.

_ Unnerved _ was the answer. The lead ‘interrogator’ turned to look to his fellows, before turning back and applying another shock, through his shirt. 

“If you wanted the shock to be more effective, you should have removed the shirt.” Oliver critiqued. 

_ That _ ruffled the interrogator. “Did your father survive? Did he make it to the island?”

Oliver said nothing, raising an eyebrow at his ‘interrogator.’ Out of the corner of his eye he saw Layla go to check on Tommy. 

Another round of shocks, and the interrogator was obviously at the end of his rope. “Did your father tell you anything?”

“Yeah.” Oliver said, tired of the game.

“What did he tell you, Mr. Queen?” The interrogator said, obviously excited that his so-called tactics finally worked.

“You’re dead.” Oliver said flatly.

The thugs laughed, but that was before the whirling ball of violence that was Layla Al-Mas was let loose. To Oliver’s amusement other than the fact that their bullets bounced off of her, she was using nothing more than her training. None of them would be able to claim that anything more than a human had attacked them.

“Who are you?” The main interrogator asked, trapped beneath her boot. 

Layla glared down at him. “I am Layla Al-Mas, wife of Ra’s Al-Zilal, and you are done.”

The new title shocked Oliver, more than the rest of it. He sat there, dumbfounded for a moment, distracted from the end of the fight.  _ Ra’s? _ He had known Ra’s Al-Ghul for four years, and it was a strange to think of anyone else as Ra’s, let alone  _ him. _ Of course, the League of Shadows wasn’t the League of Assassins, so he supposed it made sense, but it was still something he would have to get used to, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to, the title of Ra’s came with too much power, and he wasn’t a good man. He snapped the zip tie, glancing over at where Layla had helped up Tommy. 

“Tell no-one.” Layla advised both of them. “Go back to your car and carry on as if nothing happened.

“Who are you?” Tommy asked, curious. 

“A friend.” Layla replied, with a smile. She then ran off, but not before offering Oliver a distinctly wobbly smile that made him worry. The smile she had give Tommy had been normal. Was something wrong? She didn’t  _ seem  _ to be injured. It was strange.

* * *

 

They didn’t have much of an opportunity to talk freely until that evening. When Oliver exited the shower, he found Kara seated on the bed in one of his old shirts, a tin of healing salve in her hands. 

“Sit.” Kara ordered, gesturing to the bed. 

“It’s fine.” Oliver disagreed, unbothered by the new burns.

“ _ Sit. _ ” Kara demanded, pointing.

Oliver sighed, obediently sitting down. “You okay, Kara? You seem... _off_...tonight.”

“It's been a rough day.” Kara said, quietly. “I’m still getting used to how much noise and how many people are in the city. I had a bit of sensory overload this morning.” She explained quietly, smoothing the salve over the burns and bruises. 

Oliver winced in sympathy. He had experienced sensory overload only once, after spending two days in deprivation, and he had no desire to experience it again. He knew it was a fact of life for Kara, and that she had largely managed to prevent it, and had coping strategies for when it happened. “Why didn’t you listen for me?” Usually, her coping strategy was to focus on the breathing or heartbeat of someone she knew well.

“I did.” Kara said, after a pause, something grinding in her voice. “It helped, but hearing you say the thing you missed most  _ wasn’t _ your home, your sister, your mother, your best friend, or even the housekeeper who had practically raised you...but your ex girlfriend...didn’t make my day any better, and I didn’t want to intrude.” Finished, she screwed the lid back on the tin, not looking in Oliver’s direction. “So I found a bar and got a drink, but then you went and got yourself kidnapped before I could get a good buzz going.”

Oliver winced again, and turned to face her, tilting her head up to look away. “Get rid of the brown, and look at me, Layla.”

Scowling, she shook her head, and the change flowed over her body in the space of a breath. Still, she avoided looking straight at him. 

Oliver tipped her head a little more firmly, and let his voice go firmer as well. “Yes, I missed Laurel. In a way, she was the last vestige I had of my life before the _Gambit_. That, however, doesn’t mean I don’t care about  _ you _ . Laurel could never care about Al-Sah-Him.”  He sighed slightly. “I’ve realized today, more than ever, that Oliver died on the _Gambit_. You, whether you’re Layla Al-Mas, Kara Zor-El, Kara Lee, and hopefully when you’re Kara Queen, you always care, no matter what my name is.” He frowned. “Though Ra’s Al-Zilal is one I’ll have to get used to.”

Layla’s face melted into a smile and she relaxed. “You’re a good leader, even if you never believe it, and I’ll be beside you.”

“I make too many mistakes.” Oliver admitted, thinking over the day. 

Layla sighed, resting her head on his shoulder. “Everyone does, but it’s possible to make mistakes and for things to still go wrong.”


	4. Back In Black

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Oliver gets a bodyguard and puts him through his first test, while Kara takes Tommy to a alien cage fights.

_ Whisper A’Daire, or as she was more commonly called within the League of Assassins, Hamasa al-Tajraw, was a gorgeous, redheaded bombshell, usually attired in black leather. She was also somewhere between eighty and two-hundred. She looked about twenty-five. Her husband, Kyle (or Adib) wasn’t as old, but didn’t seem to age anymore than his wife. They seemed the perfect adoptive parents for the young Kryptonian, and Kara Zor-El had been glad for them. It only got slightly awkward long after Kara had ‘shed her skin,’ as Whisper called it, and truly became Layla. Notably, when she had aged enough that Layla and her mother were mistaken as sisters instead of mother and daughter by novitiates to the League. Awkward maybe, but Layla was glad, because no-one knew how long she could live in the light of a yellow sun, or how it would affect her aging. She never thought about it too much. Her new parents would always be there, and Ra’s seemed as immortal as she was. Life was good, stable. She had a few friends, but avoided getting too close to anyone.  _

_ Until she found Oliver Queen on Lian Yu. Or rather, about two years later, when they were both in melee with others, and she saw him go down for a moment. He got back up, but in those few seconds, it felt as if her heart stopped, and she had a very neat scar from the distraction. It was in that moment she knew she loved the archer, and she knew real fear for the first time in a long time. He seemed so fragile, by comparison. They fell into bed for the first time a week later, and when he was sleeping, Layla swore to herself that someday she would find a way to make sure he didn’t have to leave her like everyone on Krypton had.  _

* * *

“Your mother got you a  _ what _ ?” Kara said, eyes wide.

“A bodyguard.” Oliver repeated, amused at her reaction. 

Kara was insulted on his behalf. He could see it in the way her forehead wrinkled up and her nostrils flared. “That’s just  _ stupid _ . Why would she think you need a bodyguard? You survived a deserted island for Rao’s sake!”

Oliver shrugged. “My mom’s afraid of losing me again. So, I’m going to do what she expects and go out for a night, let the guy follow me for a bit, figure out his style. I thought you could go out and have some fun.”

“Fun?” Kara repeated, getting an idea. She had looked up the alien cage fights after the barman had let it slip. 

“Whatever girls do.” Oliver said with a shrug. “I don’t know.”

Kara snorted. “I wouldn’t exactly know the answer to that  _ either. _ ” She pointed out. “I don’t want to go out by myself. Can I steal Tommy?”

“Sure, go ahead.” Oliver said, grinning. “Though warn him if he gets drunk and hits on you, I get a free punch.”

“Got it.” Kara replied, leaning up to kiss his cheek. “Have fun. Don’t bring home any groupies unless you want them dead.”

Oliver laughed. “I know.”

* * *

Tommy Merlyn was surprisingly easy to talk into a night out, and only a handful of questions were required with her Kryptonian senses to get an idea of his views on aliens — apparently a few had ended up in his bed. Thus reassured, Kara dragged him to the prize fights, a suit based on the Kryptonian military guild crossed with the League armor hidden under her ‘normal’ clothes.

She watched a few fights with Tommy before saying she was going to go to the bathroom—where a queue had formed. In actuality, she dodged into a corner, and stripped out of her normal clothes, while mixing her two identities— Kara’s height, Layla’s eyes, and hair that had Layla’s waves but Kara Lee’s color. A peek in her cell phone’s camera actually revealed that she looked rather disturbingly like her mother, or preferably, her Aunt Astra. It went without saying that Kara Zor-El had some issues to work out, and the ring was the best place. 

Earth was difficult, outside of Nanda Parbat. Even with the League’s help with paperwork, due to their cover story, Kara Lee was unemployable. A middle-school science prodigy was all well and good, but being known as a castaway meant no high school or college degree. She was, in effect, a charity case, and it  _ burned _ . Here, though, people understood. Refugees, like her, homes and families lost. While the League had drained her rage, it made  _ this _ perfect for her.

She went up to the man leading the fights, who looked her over. “Humans have to sign the waiver.”

Rather than say anything, Kara grabbed one of the steel rods they used to repair the cage between fights if there was too much damage,  and bent it in half. She handed it to him, and he paused. “What name are you fighting under?”

Kara has considered that. “Dovrrosh.” She said simply. It was Kryptonian, a mark of where she had come from, but it meant shadow, and  the death of Krypton had led Kara to the shadows, and now as Layla she was the wife of the Shadow’s Head, it seemed appropriate. 

The man looked at her, blinking a second set of eyelids. “Second line. There’ll be one more fight before you, but that should go quickly. Good luck.” The last words were interested, but not quite sincere.

* * *

Andrew,  _ Andy  _ Diggle, was interesting, of that Oliver was sure. An Afghanistan war veteran, it didn’t take much more than a call to Ymsa to get a bit more information on him. He had enlisted to get out of trouble, but had fallen back into old habits in the war-torn country, thanks to a corrupt commanding officer. That was, until his brother had gone missing and presumed killed in combat. Andy had seemingly gone straight, cut off the corrupt CO, and gone into private security after returning home. 

Perhaps he would be useful. Oliver could see a place for him, but it would be dependent on a lot of things. Since the man had dealt with corrupt soldiers, he might not deal well with taking orders, especially from someone like Oliver. Given his history with drugs, there were some red flags there as well, and Oliver wasn’t quite ready to dismiss them yet. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he quartered himself slightly more to the moving bodyguard, lifting his shot glass from the bartender and pretending that he hadn’t a care in the world. “Shots on me!” He announced to the club at large, anticipating where the best spots would be for observation and seeing if his bodyguard could figure it out. 

After that, well, it would be evasion. He doubted that Mr. Diggle would be prepared for his rich client to try and give him the slip. Oliver, though, wasn’t your average playboy anymore, and already had figured out the best exits and how to time it with the DJ’s musical pattern. He threw back his shot. 

Thirty… he moved into the crush of people around the bar.

Twenty...duck and wove into the dance floor…

Ten...down the service hallway

Five...service door to alley.

One…Alley to car. 

Oh well, maybe next time.

* * *

Tor-An was not someone who enjoyed the fights. As a Kryptonian he thought himself above the petty savagery without purpose that occurred in various locations around the Glades. However, he attended each one as a spectator, on orders from General Astra. She wanted to keep an eye on any escapees from Fort Rozz who were not for the Cause, and to keep an eye out on the movements and arrivals of various other peoples on Earth, in case there was anyone they needed to know about or that would be useful.

At first, Tor-An didn’t think much of the woman who entered the makeshift arena. She looked just like an average human woman, until he did a double take. If he had not spent the years with General Astra In-Ze that he had, he would have thought the general was about to fight. He leaned closer, noting the name with interest. Shadows were not something to be aspired to on Krypton. Being kept from the light of Rao had been among the worst of punishments for smaller infractions. He knew for a fact that this woman was not from Fort Rozz, as much as he knew she was a Kryptonian.

She didn’t fight like one. Every one of his fellows who had entered the arena would show off their powers, or use them to end the skirmish quickly. This woman, while she showed that she was strong, stronger than a human for sure, and stronger than most of the aliens here, and quick besides, she didn’t use her flight, or vision, or breath. She didn’t fight like a soldier either, at least not one trained in the main echelons of the Military Guild. The Sapphire Guards and the High Strike Teams were trained differently, he knew, but he had never experienced that.  By the time the fight ended, the people were muttering through their shock, and Tor-An knew he had something very interesting to report to General Astra. He just couldn’t shake the feeling, as he saw the woman’s familiar face again, that in doing so,  _ something _ would irrefutably change.

* * *

Somehow, bar hopping just wasn’t  _ fun _ anymore. He had known that already, but it was strange to face that fact repeatedly. He couldn’t shut off his League-honed instincts or the cold detachment the mix of alcohol and the environment now led to, which is why he grabbed the wrist as it reached for him, yanking the owner’s arm and blinking in surprise at the woman in his grip. It took him slightly longer than it should have to speak. “Jade?”

“Hey.” The cheeky Asian assassin replied. “Good catch.”

Oliver raised an eyebrow at her, wondering what had happened. Jade Nguyen was Kara’s best friend in the League, though he still held that Jade, Ymsa Al-Qut to the League, was certifiably insane. “What are you doing here?”

Jade shrugged. “I was bored, and I found all the questions you and Layla keep investigating quite interesting. Ra’s Al-Ghul gave me leave to visit, and should you allow it, to shift my paths to you as my new Ra’s.”

Oliver’s eyes narrowed, seeing Ra’s Al-Ghul’s strategy in this. Ymsa, while loyal to the league, was still affected by her childhood in slavery, and prone to depression even the League could not help. Her ‘boredom,’ usually translated to a particular darkness. Layla would never turn away her best friend in need. The League had taken in Ymsa, after she killed her owner, and had given her back her power by teaching her to be deadlier, more skilled, and she wouldn’t fight against them. Ra’s Al-Ghul was tying another safeguard into the League of Shadows, which made Oliver wonder why Ra’s was so afraid, and so quickly. 

He made a quick decision. “Come on,” he said with a nod. “We’ve got a place. I’ll text Layla to meet us there. She’ll be glad to see you.”

* * *

“Hey, you’re back!” Tommy said, gratefully taking the beer from Kara. “You missed a couple good bouts. We should make this a regular thing.”

“Yeah?” Kara asked, hopeful. She liked Tommy, and she knew how much Oliver cared about him. If she had her way he would be safely in the circle, sooner, rather than later. “The alien thing doesn’t bother you?”

“Nah.” Tommy said, dismissively. “It’s cool. I wish I could move like that. Maybe then Oliver and I wouldn’t have gotten jumped by those assholes.”

Kara nodded at this. “I’m not that guy…” She poked her thumb towards the musclebound, blue-tinged, seven-foot-tall heavyweight in the ring currently “But I know a thing or two if you wanna hit the gym with me.”

Tommy looked at her sideways for a minute before nodding. “I’d like that.”

Kara beamed her biggest smile at him, and turned back to the fight. “Great!”

The rest of the evening went well, and Kara was bubbling with excitement when she headed to one of the safe houses she had set up through the League. She wasn’t sure why Oliver had summoned her to the smallish apartment, but she didn’t suspect anything. Shaking her hair out Kara Lee became Layla, her nose turning up. “Why do women here wear so much perfume?” She groused. “I smell better after a night at the alien fights than you do.”

Oliver laughed. “We can take a shower together later, but I brought you a surprise.”

Layla beamed, but moved closer, looping her arms around his neck. “Can it wait until after the shower?”

“Not waiting on the balcony that long, Layla.” Jade said, appearing from the balcony, with a smirk.

Layla’s face completely shifted, and she let out a squeal, immediately  releasing her husband and hugging her best friend, very nearly knocking the other assassin off her feet. “Ymsa!” She said happily. “I’ve  _ missed  _ you!”

“That’s why I’m here!” Jade declared. “I was bored.” She made a face as Layla leaned back to study her. “And so Ra’s allowed me to come. If Al-Sah-Him and you both approve, I am allowed to stay.” She paused. “If you want me, that is.”

Layla boggled at her best friend, squeezing her just perhaps a touch too hard. “Of course we want you! Don’t we, Al-Sah-Him?”

“For as long as you wish to be here.” Al-Sah-Him declared, as seriously as he could. “We will not hold you against your will, Ymsa Al-Qut, but you are very welcome to the Shadows.”

Unable to contain her happiness, Layla practically bounced over and hugged Al-Sah-Him tightly again. “This was an amazing surprise, Beloved.”

“Just remember it next time you want to use me for heat vision practice, yeah?” He teased.

Layla nodded, smiling widely despite herself. “I’ll even remember it when we find another apartment, since Jade gets this one.”

“Thank goodness.” Al-Sah-Him answered. "Apartment hunting with you is a trial in and of itself."


	5. A Night's Work

Tor-An approached the segment of Fort Rozz that they had made the home of their rebellion. It had been their prison for too long, but they had a reason to stay. He had a kind of love-hate relationship with the place, but if he were honest, he’d not had a chance to get comfortable anywhere else. He hadn’t let himself consider anything else. He had been meant for a life of service in the military guild since his parents had requested him to be born from the council. He had been branded a traitor for siding with General Astra and sentenced to Fort Rozz, but in his mind he had always served Krypton, and after that, the General who had only ever wanted the best for their people, and now the people of this planet. He approached nervously, having double-checked the prison records and manifest. He was now absolutely certain that the mysterious fighter at the Blood Fields, as the alien fights were called, was Kryptonian and hadn’t arrived on Earth with them. He knocked twice, knowing that if he waited, Non would return before he could report. 

“Come.” Astra’s voice cut through the steel, and Tor-An walked through the bulwark. 

“Tor-An, do you have something to report?” Astra asked in surprise. He hadn’t had much to report from the fights in months. 

“Yes, General.” Tor-An admitted. “There was a newcomer at the Blood Fields  A Kryptonian, but not one of ours. I checked the manifest twice, and she’s not from Fort Rozz.”

“Did she give a name?” Astra asked, biting back a flare of hope that more of their people may have survived. 

“No, General Astra. She called herself Dovrrosh, but we all know that’s not a name that would have been given on Krypton.”

“No, but it is a name someone who feels cut off from the light of Rao might use.” Astra reflected. “Did you recognize her? Did she do well?”

Tor-An frowned. “She didn’t fight like one of our men. She didn’t bother with the use of the powers offered her by the yellow sun. She fought like something else.” He paused. “May I be candid, ma’am?”

“Of course.” Astra agreed. “Speak your mind, Tor-An.”

Tor-An swallowed. “She...well, she looked rather like you.” He admitted. “If it weren’t for the grey in your hair, ma’am...I would have said it  _ was _ you.”

Astra’s face went blank. “Alura?”

“No.” Tor-An denied right away. “I know Alura. This wasn’t Alura. I don’t know who it was, but…” He shrugged. “I’m sorry I can’t bring you more answers, General.”

Astra straightened her spine. “I shall just have to attend a few fights and see for myself.” Astra decided. “Thank you for your service, Tor-An. You are dismissed.”

“Yes ma’am.” Tor-An said, coming to attention and saluting once before leaving, knowing that the general hadn’t even looked back at him.

* * *

Layla sat, legs crossed, head tilted, listening to the discussion happened in the lower levels of the foundry. “It’s your party, Al-Sah-Him.” She said, breaking her silence as he and Jade argued. “You’ll be looked for and watched. It’s a good plan for ease of placement, but you should be viewed and photographed. It’ll be suspicious if you disappear, and the police will likely look at the party first.”

“Exactly!” Jade said, playing with her mask. “That’s why I should do it.”

Al-Sah-Him shook his head. “If he doesn’t do as he’s been instructed, he’ll have security. You lose focus in melee. I...”

“Which is why  _ I’ll _ do it.” Layla interrupted. “In case  _ both _ of you have forgotten, we all went through the same training. I can be back quick enough and we know my expertise is single high-profile, protected targets. He’ll also see me as less of a risk than you, Al-Sah-Him, and Ymsa is right, if he knows you’re not working alone, it may push him to do what we ask.”

Oliver frowned. “This is my mission, my responsibility to fix what my father did to help destroy this city…”

“Hey.” Layla said sharply, shifting her head so he had to look at her. “This is all three of us, Al-Sah-Him.  اتَّكَلْنا منه على خُصٍّ الاتحاد قوة.”

“Unity is power.” Jade agreed, repeating the sentiment in English. “You are Ra’s. Your mission is our mission.”

“All right, all right.” Al-Sah-Him sighed. “You’re right. Ymsa, you’re running distraction and supply. Layla, you do what you need to do if the deadline arrives and he doesn’t transfer the money. Then change back and rejoin me, but be careful.” 

Layla flicked his ear. “You’re telling  _ me _ to be careful?” She repeated, eyebrow raised. 

Al-Sah-Him laughed. “What else are you doing today?”

“Working out with Tommy upstairs.” Layla said with a grin. 

“Layla…” Al-Sah-Him said slowly. 

“We will need to be honest with him at some point, Beloved, even if we do not bring him in, besides, the kidnapping unsettled him. I offered to help.”

“No recruiting my best friend.” Al-Sah-Him admonished. 

“Don’t be ridiculous.” Layla replied. “He’s not ready yet.”

* * *

Moira glanced over the file from the private investigator. “So, what did you find?”

The private investigator sat back into the chair, fingers tilted. “Kara Lee, born  in  Blüdhaven, gifted child, science prodigy, doing calculus at four. Parents, Regina and Abbott Lee, mother worked for a nonprofit STEM charity, father was an investment banker. All three lost on a charter flight in the South China sea...and I think you know the rest.”

“Nothing else?” Moira asked, flipping through pictures of science fair projects, baby pictures, copies of birth and death certificates. “No family?”

“One aunt, deceased in a car accident a year ago.” The investigator answered. “T-boned by a hit-and-run driver outside Metropolis.” He shrugged. “She was twelve, thirteen at most when the plane crash happened. I don’t know what you’re looking for, Mrs. Queen.”

Moira looked through the thin file once more. “Just making sure she’s not pretending something she’s not.”

The investigator shrugged. “Looks like she’s just a girl who ended up on the same island as your son, Mrs. Queen.”

“I see that.” Moira said, humming as she looked over the photo of a young brunette girl. “Thank you.” She reached into the drawer of her desk and pulled out her checkbook, writing a check and ripping it off easily. “I trust you’ll have discretion.”

The investigator looked at the check and smiled. “Any time, Mrs. Queen. Any time.”

* * *

“He was wearing a hood. A green hood. And he had a bow and arrow.” Adam Hunt said, pacing in front of his desk, shirt mussed and jacket tossed aside. The two police officers traded looks, which only infuriated the businessman more. “What, you don’t believe me?” He picked up the arrow his people had retrieved and handed it directly to the detectives. “That maniac put two of my men in the hospital.”

Quentin hid his disdain as best he could. “Well, thanks for your statement. We’ll put an APB out on...Robin Hood.”

The dismissal burned Adam Hunt even more. Didn’t this rent-a-cop know who he was? “Hey, pal, I’m not some grocer who got taken for his register. I go to the front of the line. Now he said he’d be back here by 10 PM. Make sure you’re here first. You can coordinate with Mr. Drakon my new head of security. ”

* * *

“I think I’m going to puke.” Tommy Merlyn grumbled, leaning over, sweat soaking through his designer t-shirt. He was breathing hard, and completely worn out.

Kara laughed beside him, brushing a lock of brown hair out of her face. She was sweaty, but nowhere near as tired. “Sip some water.” She suggested, throwing him a bottle. “You did good for a first day.”

“Ready to survive a desert island?” Tommy asked, glancing at his friend’s new almost-wife, who was as fit as any woman he had ever seen, even ignoring the multiple scars on her body. 

Kara laughed at the question. “Better off than when Ollie started.”

“Well, that makes me feel better.” Tommy laughed. “You know, you could be a personal trainer. I tried one a few years ago and decided it was too much work, but you managed to keep  _ me _ on it and keep me going when I wanted to quit, and that’s no small feat.”

That made Kara pause, thoughtful. “Doesn’t that require all sorts of degrees and certifications? I don’t even have a high school diploma. I was twelve when I crashed.”

“I’m not sure, actually.” Tommy admitted. “But I bet you could find out.”

“I’ll have to look into it.” Kara said thoughtfully. She had been one of the favoured trainers for children of the league. She could do training, though physical training for adults would be very different, especially for fitness and not for work in the League of Assassins. 

“Well, consider me officially your first client.” Tommy teased. “So when are we doing this again?”

Kara considered that. In the league it would have been the next day, and the next, and the next, but she’d have to take her time with Tommy, and with anyone else. The League of Shadows had to be different. “Take tomorrow to recover and we’ll meet here this time the day after.” She handed gun a towel.

“Sounds good.” Tommy said, wiping his brow. “I’ll see you at the party tonight?”

“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” Kara promised, grinning.

* * *

Layla Al-Mas had one job. It was a simple job. It wasn’t even one that entirely required her to focus, but she  _ needed _ that focus, because she couldn’t let herself be distracted by Tommy telling the crowd,  _ and the girls _ , to give Oliver a  _ ‘proper homecoming, _ ’ but she had to listen close enough for Al-Sah-Him to give her the signal. She hated that fact when Laurel approached him and she found herself grinding her teeth. She knew she shouldn’t be jealous, and she did trust him, but she had lost everyone else, and some part of her was afraid of losing her husband, especially to the girl whose picture he used to carry religiously.

_ ‘I asked somebody to do something. They didn't do it.’ _

Well, Hunt had been an idiot. That meant she had a job to do. 

The security wasn’t  _ bad _ , per se. In fact, if they had just been run of the mill criminals it would have stopped them cold. However, the League of Assassins didn’t train for run of the mill, and well, being Kryptonian, she could never be called ‘ _ ordinary _ ’ on this planet. 

“It’s past ten. He’s never getting in here.” Drakon advised. 

Layla fought back a laugh. She slipped inside, cut the power, and considered how to approach with her new variables. She wasn’t a fan of collateral damage. Going straight through the security hub seemed unnecessary. She flew down the elevator shaft to the floor below them, listening to the guards and security on that floor to slip by them in the dark. She preferred silence, but in the chaos, just maybe she could get away with it. She slammed her hand to the ceiling, causing it to fracture, once she made that initial break, heat vision seared right through it like a torch. No one afterwards would be able to tell how she did it. She climbed up through by hand, and they were so focused on the door that they missed her.

Adam Hunt wasn’t particularly impressive. So, she wrapped an arm around him from behind, and pulled him back against her body the other hand pressed hard into his back. 

“Drakon!” He shouted. 

The security officer turned, gun drawn. 

Layla, in full League dress, that hid her face but not her gender, snorted. “No one else in here, Mr. Drakon? You left his back open.” As if to emphasize her point, she dug two nails hard into his back. “And you call yourself a security expert?”

“You...you’re not him.” Adam Hunt stuttered. 

“No, I’m not.” Layla replied simply. “You underestimated us, Mr. Hunt, and you didn’t transfer the money.”

“Let him go or I’ll put a bullet in your head.” Drakon said, holding his pistol higher. 

“You can try.” Layla replied. “Mr. Hunt is a lot plumper than me, though, and by the time you get your shot off, he might already be dead.”

Layla heard the police approaching, someone had hit the panic button, and she tutted. “Mr. Hunt, I don’t want to kill you, or make your security kill you.” She admonished. “You really should have just paid the money.” 

“It’s forty million dollars.” Hunt protested. 

“And you can’t take it with you.” Layla admonished. “Now tell Mr. Drakon to stand down and transfer the money, Adam.”

“St...stand down.” He managed. 

“Sir!” Drakon protested, even as he lowered the gun.

Four things happened at once. The SCPD burst through the glass doors, Drakon raised his gun again, Hunt screamed, and Layla released the land baron, dropping back through the hole in the floor, before Quentin Lance could finish his demand to ‘put your hands up.”

Escaping the way she had come, Layla used superspeed to fly across the street faster than anyone would be able to make out in the dark, and concealed against the building the party was in, performed a quick change into Kara Lee and a dress that would have had Whisper A’Daire’s approval. 

He would think she had failed, until it was too late. There was a kind of poetry to that, given that his victims didn't realize what he was until it was too late.


End file.
